"Demirtas' tour bus was rolling along slowly and a young paper collector was walking alongside. "Selahattin Baskan, my president Selahattin!," the young man called out, smiling. The incident became a symbol of the hopes that young Kurds in Turkey placed in Demirtas, head of the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party, or HDP, after decades of tensions between Kurdish militants and the Turkish government."
"After Demirtas was handed a 42-year prison sentence in 2024, his supporters protested outside the Ankara courtImage: Alican Uludag/DW For years now, the European Court of Human Rights, or ECHR, has condemned Demirtas' arrest, describing his trial as unlawful, and demanded he be released. The government in Turkey had previously ignored the international court. In November, the ECHR rejected Turkey'sappeal against its judgment and concluded again that the politician's trial was politically motivated."
Selahattin Demirtas emerged in 2014 as a surprisingly successful newcomer with cross-ethnic appeal, attracting support beyond Kurdish voters and securing almost 10% of the presidential vote. His popularity helped the pro-Kurdish HDP block the ruling AKP from regaining an absolute parliamentary majority. In 2016, Demirtas was arrested and charged with membership in the PKK and incitement to violence. He received a 42-year prison sentence. The European Court of Human Rights repeatedly condemned the arrest, described the trial as unlawful, demanded his release, and rejected Turkey's appeal, calling the trial politically motivated.
Read at www.dw.com
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